Casey Durkin/NBC
The character was written specifically for Rich, and marks the actor’s return to television eight years after he had stroke that affected the left side of his body.
“The thing is I worked with all of these people: the producers, the writers and many of the crew, and of course,Reba [McEntire]andMelissa [Peterman]onReba,” Rich exclusively tells PEOPLE of how hisHappy’s Placecameo came to be.
He adds, “The whole group are old friends of mine and they’ve all wanted to help me bring my career back, so they engineered this part that they thought was perfect.”
However, Rich had to face his own fears that he may not be able to perform at the same level he did before his stroke — fears that he ultimately realized were unfounded.
The actor, who played McEntire’s ex-husband and Peterman’s husband Brock Hart on the hit comedyRebafor six seasons, reveals that he was “pretty nervous” to step in front of a live studio audience again after so many years away from the spotlight.
“I didn’t know if I would still have the skill set that I had before I got sick,” he says. “But I’ve been making [theRebacast] laugh at private functions … and they said, ‘Listen, you’re not going to have any problems,’ and they were right.”
He went on to add that “hearing that feedback and laughter and applause from an audience” again was “magnificent.”
The cast of ‘Reba’ including: Joanna Garcia, Scarlett Pomers, Reba McEntire, Christopher Rich, Melissa Peterman, Steve Howey, and Mitch Holleman.Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Playing a stroke survivor only made the experience all the more special for Rich, who went through extensive rehabilitation following his 2018 stroke. He explains to PEOPLE that “the coolest thing for me was getting to portray a disabled person doing something any other person would do.”
“I fall in love with her every time we do a scene,” Rich says of Peterman, whom he shares a special (and hilarious moment) with in the upcoming episode.
From left: Reba McEntire as Reba Hart, Melissa Peterman as Barbara Jean Hart, Christopher Rich as Brock Hart on ‘Reba’.Danny Feld/The WB
Danny Feld/The WB
And as for McEntire? “It’s like working with family,” he says. “I mean, I don’t know how to explain it any better than that, but it really is like going to work with my sister.”
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Happy’s Placeairs Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
source: people.com
